Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Contents Introduction/Aims 1 Section 1: General Principles Informing Quality Assessment 3 Section 2: Developing Quality Assessment Policy and Planning 9 at a Whole-School Level Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom 15 Section 4: Engaging Pupils in Assessing their Own Learning 35 Section 5: Developing a Shared Understanding of Assessment Standards 39 Section 6: Effective Use of Data for Pupil Tracking and School Improvement 43 Section 7: Effective Reporting 49 References 52 Appendix 1: The Big Picture of Assessment and Reporting 56 Appendix 2: Planning and Evaluating Assessment: Key Questions 57 Appendix 3: Suggested Strategies for Peer and Self-Assessment 59 Glossary 63

Acknowledgements CCEA would like to acknowledge the invaluable support provided by the principals and teachers from the following schools: Ashfield Girls School Coláiste Feirste Dromore High School Omagh High School Sullivan Upper School St Cecilia s College St Louise s Comprehensive College St Patrick s College (Maghera) who contributed to producing the assessment case studies. We would like to thank colleagues at C2K for their advice on using SIMs, Assessment Manager and the effective use of data. We also would like to acknowledge the contribution made by Carmel Gallagher (Founder of Class Dynamics and Research Associate with Queen s University). We are grateful to Carmel for sharing her expertise and insights on assessment and in particular for her work on Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom.

Introduction/Aims 1

Introduction/Aims Introduction Assessment can affect pupils motivation to learn. It plays a crucial role in improving learning and raising standards (Stiggins, 2008). Assessment is a key professional competency (GTCNI, 2011) that requires teachers to: use a range of assessment strategies to assess pupils learning; appreciate the uses and limitations of these strategies; make evidence-based assessment against relevant criteria; involve pupils in assessing their learning and performance; assess pupil performance against relevant benchmarking data; understand the relationship between assessment, setting pupil targets and progression; use assessment information to make teaching more effective; and collaborate with others to make assessment more effective at the classroom and whole-school level. The Northern Ireland Curriculum sets out a flexible framework of knowledge, understanding, skills and capabilities. These are important for lifelong learning and help to prepare young people to meet the challenges of life and work in the twenty-first century. Assessment is an integral part of the Northern Ireland Curriculum. It must reflect curriculum requirements and provide constructive, motivating and challenging learning experiences. Assessment should be part of the teaching and learning process that supports independent learning. It should enable young people to gauge their own progress and potential and make improvements in their learning. Aims The teacher s role is central to ensuring quality assessment in schools (Wyatt-Smith et al., 2010). Teachers and schools must have sound knowledge of assessment and the professional skills to develop and apply this in practice (GTCNI, 2011). This is associated with the notion of assessment literacy, which Webb defines as: knowledge about how to assess what students know and can do, interpret the results of these assessments, and apply these results to improve student learning and program effectiveness. (2002) Improving teachers assessment literacy is essential to developing their competency to assess pupils learning. It helps teachers to be more consistent and understanding in their professional judgements. This guidance supports principals, senior leaders/managers and teachers to plan and develop subject assessment at whole-school and departmental levels. It aims to encourage and promote: effective and manageable assessment planning, marking, judgements and standard setting; pupils active involvement in peer and self-assessment, including setting and reviewing their own learning targets and identifying areas for development; constructive use of feedback to improve learning; effective use of assessment data to: inform teaching and learning; track progress; and promote improvement (DENI, 2009a); and the development of coherent and manageable assessment practices that support equity and fairness for all and reflect the Northern Ireland Curriculum and school improvement strategies (ibid.). This guidance focuses on continuing professional development, connected with school Performance Review and Staff Development (PRSD) programmes (Regional Training Unit (RTU, 2005). It is intended to help teachers to become more competent practitioners of quality assessment. We have included eight school case studies. These are referenced in the text and should be read alongside the guidance. They illustrate how schools have planned and developed different aspects of assessment within subjects in ways that reflect the assessment guidance. You can find these at www.nicurriculum.org.uk 2

Section General Principles Informing Quality Assessment 3

Section 1: General Principles Informing Quality Assessment What is assessment? For the purpose of this guidance we define assessment as the systematic collection, interpretation, and use of information to give a deeper appreciation of what pupils know and understand, their skills and personal capabilities, and what their learning experiences enable them to do. Principles of assessment The following five principles underpin quality assessment practice. It should: be complementary to and supportive of learning; be valid and reliable; be fit for purpose and manageable; support teachers professional judgement; and support accountability. Purposes of assessment Assessment can serve different purposes according to how we use the information it provides (Teaching and Learning Research Programme (TLRP), 2010; Appendix 1). The four main purposes of assessment are: diagnostic assessment to identify strengths and areas for improvement and inform next steps; formative assessment to make specific improvements in learning; summative assessment to acknowledge, record and report pupils overall achievement at a given point; and evaluative assessment to inform curriculum planning and provide information for monitoring and accountability. Schools should take the different purposes of assessment into account when developing assessment policy and practices. Diagnostic assessment Diagnostic assessment normally takes place at the beginning of a learning programme. It involves the teacher working closely with the pupil to identify their strengths and learning needs. Teachers use it to identify the nature of a pupil s learning difficulties. Teachers can then use the information from diagnostic assessment to plan and develop interventions to address the learning difficulties identified. They should share this information with the pupil to plan the next steps to improve their learning. Formative assessment or Assessment for Learning (AfL) Formative assessment is part of the everyday teaching and learning process. Teachers gather evidence about a pupil s learning by, for example, observing, listening, questioning, discussing, and reviewing their work. They can then use this evidence to: identify progress and gaps in learning (including individual support needs); set learning goals and success criteria; and provide feedback to pupils. Formative assessment is often referred to as Assessment for Learning (AfL). Assessment for Learning is the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their teachers to decide where the learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best to get there. (Assessment Reform Group (ARG), 2002) 4

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Teachers use AfL to enable pupils to build on their learning. The continuous process of dialogue and interaction between pupils, teachers and peers is an essential part of AfL. It focuses on how pupils can improve their learning. AfL involves peer and self-assessment (ARG, 2008; Black and Wiliam, 2009). Ten guiding principles underpin AfL. It should: be part of effective planning; focus on how pupils learn; be central to classroom practice; be a key professional skill; be sensitive and constructive; foster motivation; promote understanding of goals and criteria; help learners know how to improve; develop the capacity for self-assessment; and recognise all educational achievement (ARG, 2002). Five key AfL strategies support these principles in classroom practice: Focus on learning shares learning intentions and success criteria with pupils. Effective questioning encourages pupils to think about their learning. Quality formative feedback allows teachers to identify pupils achievements, any gaps in their learning and areas for further work (what pupils have done well and what they should do to perform better). Feedback should always be direct and constructive. It should give pupils information about the next steps to take to improve their learning. Teachers should give feedback promptly, as delayed feedback can be meaningless to the pupil. Prompt feedback helps pupils to take account of it in their learning. It also motivates them, which is a crucial element in helping them to become successful learners. Scaffolding reflection gives pupils time to reflect on their learning. It allows them to think about what and how they are learning and to adapt their approaches, if necessary, to achieve their goals (Assessment for Learning A Practical Guide, CCEA 2009a). Teacher reflection on effectiveness of teaching and learning allows teachers to verify what their pupils have learned. This helps them to decide what they may need to teach again in a different way, or how to focus future teaching plans. Summative assessment Summative assessment gives pupils, parents and teachers valuable information about a pupil s overall performance at a specific point in their learning. It provides information about a pupil s progress in subject knowledge, understanding, skills and capabilities. Summative assessment usually takes place after pupils have completed units of work, or modules, or at the end of each term and/or year. The information it gives indicates progress and achievement, sometimes in grade-related or numerical terms. Summative assessment should: take account of all the objectives or outcomes of the programme of study (this is why summative tests of part of the programme of study are not necessarily valid); be used to indicate a pupil s progress at the end of a period of learning, for example a unit of work or a module; take account of formative assessments throughout the year; be formative in its own right, giving: teachers insights into what pupils have and have not learned, enabling them to adapt their practices; and feedback on what learners did or did not do well. Subject teachers and school managers can use the outcomes of summative assessment for: benchmarking; monitoring progress; target setting; placing pupils in subject classes; and helping pupils to make informed decisions about subject choices at Key Stage 4. 5

Section 1: General Principles Informing Quality Assessment The quality of summative assessment depends on teachers professional ability to use a range of assessment methods that generate dependable results (TLRP, 2010). Teachers, pupils and parents need to be confident that the information provided by teacher-based assessment is dependable and an accurate reflection of the standard a pupil is working at. This is particularly important in the Cross-Curricular Skills, where teachers summatively assess pupils at the end of Key Stage 3 and give pupils numerical levels. These are used to monitor school and system wide performance. For these reasons teacher-based assessment must be both valid and reliable. Evaluative assessment The main purpose of evaluative assessment is to ensure that there is appropriate accountability at all levels for the performance of our school system (CCEA, 2011). Evaluative assessment is used to inform curriculum planning and provide information for monitoring and accountability. For evaluative purposes, the Department of Education requires information on end of Key Stage 3 assessment outcomes for the Cross-Curricular Skills. Schools can use this data for school development and action planning. Teachers can also use this data to set class targets to improve specific pupil outcomes. The relationship between formative and summative assessment Formative and summative assessment have been seen as serving two separate purposes. Formative assessment focuses on improving learning. Summative assessment summarises learning at the end of a period of study. Recently, however, formative and summative assessments have been recognised as interrelated and complementary. They can serve both purposes, depending on how teachers use the assessment information and feedback (Black et al., 2003; Harlen, 2005; Taras, 2005). Research suggests that teachers could make better use of assessment by taking into account this interrelationship (ARG, 2008). The information from formative assessment, supplemented by valid subject class tests/tasks, helps to ensure dependable summative assessment (Harlen, 2005). Teachers can use the information from a summative assessment test/task as feedback to support pupils to improve their learning. Teachers should report not only the students final performance, but also what processes students need to improve in order to raise their performance (Harlen, 2005). Research suggests (Black et al., 2003; Black et al., 2010; Black et al., 2011; Harlen, 2005) that teachers should make greater use of summative assessment to support learning by: giving pupils opportunities to review their work before the assessment to become familiar with the type of assessment set and to identify areas of insecure understanding; involving pupils in developing assessments and setting assessment criteria and mark schemes to help them develop their understanding of assessment and focus on areas for improvement; involving pupils in marking and discussing their assessment performance, including the use of peer and self-evaluation; and providing quality feedback to the pupil, focusing on their performance and how they can improve their learning. Figure 1 shows how summative assessment can be used to improve learning. 6

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Figure 1 Using summative assessment to improve learning Identify areas for improvement Teachers support pupils to identify a focus for development: Knowledge and Understanding Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities Cross-Curricular Skills Pupils review and reflect Teachers provide quality feedback to pupils Teachers involve pupils in peer and self-assessment Identify the stage pupils are at in their learning Teachers use summative assessment to support learning Teachers set challenging and motivating assessment tasks that pupils are familiar with Pupils should be involved in: Developing assessment Setting assessment criteria Creating mark schemes Marking/discussing pupil work Teachers support pupils to: set personal learning targets; plan ways to improve learning; and monitor their progress. Identify next steps to improve learning 7

Section 1: General Principles Informing Quality Assessment Equity and fairness The terms equity and fairness are often used interchangeably (Stobart, 2005). They refer to the idea that assessment should be inclusive and give pupils equal opportunities to demonstrate their performance and achievements (ibid.). An equitable or fair school assessment system is free from bias. It does not disadvantage pupils. A fair assessment should be open and transparent to all staff, pupils and parents. The pupil population in Northern Ireland s post-primary schools has become more diverse as more newcomer pupils attend local schools (DENI, 2009b). For many newcomer pupils, language may be a barrier to accessing the Northern Ireland Curriculum (ibid.). Schools must ensure their assessment systems are equitable, fair and free from systematic bias that would disadvantage pupils. This is in accordance with the key principles in DE School Improvement Policy (DENI, 2009a). Validity Validity is the extent to which assessment measures what it was intended to assess. At Key Stage 3 valid assessment is used to assess essential subject knowledge, understanding, skills and capabilities as set out in the minimum requirements and outcomes of the Northern Ireland Curriculum. Reliability Reliability is how much we can trust an assessment to give consistent information on a pupil s progress. For teacher-based assessment to be reliable, schools must ensure that variation in the standards that different teachers apply and potentially biased judgements are minimised. This requires professional discussion in and between subject departments about stretch, challenge and expectations. This is why internal standardisation, in and across departments, is an important process. The problem of validity and reliability A reliable assessment produces the same results on retest. If it is consistent in its methods and criteria, it will produce similar results with a similar cohort of students. Unfortunately, no assessment is completely valid or reliable. Even observational assessment is not completely valid as learners may over-perform or feel inhibited. Teachers judgements are generally subjective and likely to have a significant margin of error. It is estimated that judgements are right only about 80 percent of the time. (For a more detailed discussion of this issue see Atherton, 2011). To avoid this problem, teachers should use a variety of different approaches to assessment. They should not base judgements on a single assessment exercise. They should tell pupils and their parents that assessment outcomes are far from scientific and that small differences in percentage marks will have little real meaning. Consistent performance over time is what counts. Teachers should assess the progression of learning on this basis. 8

Developing Quality Assessment Policy and Planning at a Whole-School Level 9

Section 2: Developing Quality Assessment Policy and Planning at a Whole-School Level Schools need to plan and develop assessment policy at a whole-school level, taking into account relevant educational policies and guidance. A whole-school approach should involve teachers, pupils, parents and school governors. Schools should review their assessment policy and practice as part of their self-evaluation. They should prioritise areas for improvement in the school development plan. Schools need to ensure that they meet the Key Stage 3 statutory assessment requirements and promote a cross-curricular approach to assessing skills and capabilities. See also the following online case studies: Developing Assessment to Measure Progress and Improve Learning (Dromore High School) Planning and Developing an Integrated Approach to Assessment (St Louise s Comprehensive College). Whole-school planning Assessment is likely to be most effective when schools develop it as part of a consistent and coherent whole-school approach (Wiliam et al., 2004; TLRP, 2010). Assessment should be a focus for school self-evaluation (DENI, 2010a), school development planning (DENI, 2010b) and target setting (DENI, 2011). It should take account of policies and guidance, including: Count, Read: Succeed A Strategy to Improve Outcomes in Literacy and Numeracy (DENI, 2011); Every School A Good School: A Policy for School Improvement (DENI, 2009a); Every School A Good School: Supporting Newcomer Pupils (DENI, 2009b); School Self-Evaluation (DENI, 2010a); School Development Planning (DENI, 2010b); Guide to Assessment (CCEA, 2011); Teaching: the Reflective Profession (GTCNI, 2011); and Performance Review and Staff Development (PRSD, RTU, 2005). Effective whole-school planning helps to ensure that assessment is: manageable; appropriately aligned with the core business of teaching and learning (DENI, 2011); and able to monitor progression in: Knowledge and Understanding; Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities; and the Cross-Curricular Skills (CCS) of Communication, Using Mathematics and Using ICT. Who to involve All teaching staff should contribute to planning for assessment. A group with designated responsibility should lead the planning and development process. A senior member of staff (for example a vice principal, senior teacher or member of the school leadership team) should chair this group. The group should consult, where appropriate, with school governors, parents and pupils (DENI, 2010b). Ideally, all teachers should work collaboratively, discussing and sharing assessment practice to improve their capacity to contribute to quality assessment. Schools should also involve pupils in developing assessments. This helps to ensure that they are more actively engaged in classroom assessment processes. Teachers should also inform parents of the school and subject assessment arrangements so that they understand how their child s progress is measured. This helps to make school reports more meaningful to parents. 10

Establish monitoring and review procedure Establish how progress will be measured Develop assessment quality indicators Conduct an assessment audit Use quality indicators to evaluate assessment policy and practice Identify and prioritise areas for development Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Self-Evaluation and School Development Planning Assessment should be a focus of the school s self-evaluation process (DENI, 2010a) and development planning. This ensures that the school implements planned actions effectively to improve assessment, resulting in improved outcomes for pupils. Figure 2 shows the three key questions that schools can use to help inform development planning (ibid.). Schools can use the stages in self-evaluation and development planning processes shown in Figure 2 to plan a strategic whole-school approach to assessment. They can set targets for improvement in assessment over a three year period. This should make developing and implementing assessment more manageable. Figure 2 Assessment planning Monitor and Evaluate How well are we doing? Ensure regular feedback to staff Identify what evidence will be used and how the evidence will be gathered and by whom Evaluate and Review Establish clear communication Gather evidence Review/analyse data Plan next steps Improving outcomes for all pupils Plan outcomes for improvement in assessment Develop action plan Set SMART targets Decide actions and timescale for completion Identify key people involved Define roles and responsibilities Identify resource requirements Set success criteria Plan and Implement Action What more do we want to achieve? What must we do to make it happen? Prioritise Areas for Improvement Identify Strengths and 11

Section 2: Developing Quality Assessment Policy and Planning at a Whole-School Level Assessment evaluation and review At the start of the development process, schools should review their current assessment policy and practice to identify areas for improvement. It is important for everyone involved in assessment to have a clear understanding of the purpose of the review. The school may wish to consider a range of qualitative and quantitative data (DENI, 2010b), including: relevant school policy documents; subject schemes of work; guidance materials; assessment resources; and pupil information on progress and performance (including samples of pupil work). The review may include gathering evidence from pupil, teacher and parent questionnaires and/or interviews to obtain their views on assessment. It should also consider other educational policy and guidance. Audit of assessment practice To identify strengths and areas for improvement in assessment, schools should conduct an audit of their Key Stage 3 assessment practice. They should cover the following areas: teacher views on the manageability of current processes; the range of assessment approaches being used across departments; the coherence and consistency of approaches; pupil and parent information and involvement; equity and fairness; the quality and frequency of continuing professional development; and evaluating the impact of current assessment practices on learner motivation and improvement. Schools can conduct an audit by asking key questions (See Appendix 2) about their assessment practice in each of these areas. They can translate the questions into indicators to evaluate the quality of their assessment practice (see also Guide to Assessment, CCEA, 2011; DENI, 2010a). Schools can decide to focus on specific areas of assessment practice to evaluate how well each area meets the quality indicators for that aspect of assessment practice. The results of this evaluation will identify areas for improvement. Prioritise areas for improvement Schools should set manageable priorities to improve assessment (Figure 2). These should take into account other school improvement targets, including those for literacy and numeracy (DENI 2010a, 2010b). Schools should consider: how to build on their strengths in assessment; what resources they will need to achieve improvements; and how to achieve improvements in assessment. Schools should consider the following aspects of assessment. 12

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Statutory assessment requirements At Key Stage 3 all assessment is teacher-based. Schools must assess and report on each pupil in each school year by the end of the summer term. Reports should include the results of assessment in: each of the Areas of Learning; the Cross-Curricular Skills; and Other Skills (Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities). At the end of Year 10, schools must assess and report (using the Levels of Progression) on pupils achievement in Communication, Using Mathematics (from 2012/2013) and Using ICT (from 2013/2014). The Department of Education has delegated responsibility to schools for assessing and reporting on subject strands/areas of Learning and the Other Skills (Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities). This allows teachers the flexibility to develop assessments that meet their pupils needs and to support progression in the Cross-Curricular Skills of Communication, Using Mathematics and Using ICT. Developing and assessing Cross-Curricular Skills All subjects must give pupils opportunities to acquire and develop the Cross-Curricular Skills. However, not all subjects are required to assess each skill separately. When planning for statutory assessment of the Cross-Curricular Skills, schools must identify the subjects best placed to provide evidence to make judgements about pupil progress in each year of Key Stage 3. This helps to avoid unnecessary overlap and duplication in assessment, while ensuring that all subjects support progression in these skills. In accordance with the Department of Education strategy on literacy and numeracy, English (and in Irishmedium schools, Irish) and Mathematics departments should lead the assessment of Communication and Using Mathematics respectively. Other subjects should contribute to the assessment of Cross-Curricular Skills and feed back assessment information to English and Mathematics departments. This strategy should be part of a whole-school approach to planning for improvement in literacy and numeracy (ibid.). Subjects other than English and Mathematics can provide evidence of progress in the Cross-Curricular Skills. We recommend an integrated approach to developing these skills alongside subject knowledge and understanding and the Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities. Teachers should set assessment opportunities in both familiar and unfamiliar contexts. This allows pupils to: apply their learning; demonstrate the breadth and depth of their knowledge and understanding; and show the range of Cross-Curricular Skills and Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities that they have developed. Using a range of assessment approaches Throughout Years 8, 9 and 10, teachers should give pupils a range of challenging assessment opportunities. They should use a variety of assessment approaches that allow pupils to demonstrate what they know, understand, and can do. Using a single method of assessment is unlikely to give a comprehensive, or indeed adequate, profile of a pupil s learning. Teachers should use a broad range of assessment approaches, for example: effective questioning; teacher observation; peer and self-assessment; and e-portfolios. 13

Section 2: Developing Quality Assessment Policy and Planning at a Whole-School Level This is more likely to engage and motivate pupils. It provides a range of opportunities for pupils to demonstrate their potential and achieve success. Those who may not perform well in some types of assessment have the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in others. Coherence and consistency of challenge and expectations Schools need to plan a coherent and consistent whole-school approach to assessment at Key Stage 3. This should be part of the teaching and learning process. This will help teachers to develop a clear understanding of the challenge, expectations and standards they need to set their pupils. These standards allow teachers to judge their pupils ability to demonstrate and apply subject knowledge and understanding, Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities and the Cross-Curricular Skills. Understanding the challenge, expectations and standards required helps to ensure that teachers judgements are consistent and the information they gather from assessment is comparable. Schools should plan to meet the requirements for moderation of the Cross-Curricular Skills at the end of Key Stage 3. This will help to ensure that there is confidence in the system and appropriate accountability at all levels for the performance of the system (CCEA, 2011). The moderation process is designed to validate teacher judgements. It includes internal standardisation and common agreement of standards against the appropriate Levels of Progression and sampling of pupils work for external moderation. A consistent approach to assessment is also important for pupils and parents. This helps to establish their trust and confidence in the assessment information that teachers give them. Action to improve assessment Schools should record priorities for improvement in their school development action plan (Figure 2) (DENI, 2010b). This can include details of: staff involved in the assessment and their roles and responsibilities; SMART targets and planned outcomes; actions and when they should be completed; resources, including finance, staff and materials; success criteria to evaluate outcomes; and processes to monitor and evaluate progress against quality indicators and evaluate success against outcomes. Evaluating the impact of assessment Schools need to plan how to monitor, evaluate and review their assessment policy and practice and how it improves learning outcomes (Figure 2). This should be a key focus of their ongoing self-evaluation process (DENI, 2010a). Schools can judge their assessment policy and practice against their assessment quality indicators (CCEA, 2011; DENI, 2010a). Schools can use assessment data to track, measure, record and compare pupil progress against learning outcomes in subjects across the Key Stage (CCEA, 2011). Class teachers day-to-day monitoring of assessment practice and pupil progress provides important feedback. Teachers should share this with colleagues regularly to improve the quality of teacher-based assessment. 14

Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom 15

Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom Schools should plan and develop an integrated approach to subject assessment. Subject knowledge, understanding, skills and capabilities are interrelated. Teachers need to ensure that pupils develop subject knowledge and understanding alongside skills and capabilities. Teachers need to plan progression and use assessment to measure pupils progression in each of these learning components. They can use an integrated progression framework to identify which aspects of learning to assess. They can also develop appropriate assessment tasks and criteria. Teachers can then judge pupil progress against these criteria. This allows them to provide quality feedback on how pupils can close the gap in their learning. See also the following online case studies: Planning and Developing an Integrated Approach to Assessment (St Louise s Comprehensive College) Developing Assessment to Measure Progress and Improve Learning (Dromore High School). Pupils from Dromore High School completing an assessment task in Science Developing learning within subjects Every subject teacher must develop and assess pupils subject knowledge and understanding. They are also responsible for developing Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities and the Cross-Curricular Skills of Communication, Using Mathematics and Using ICT. Developing these components of learning in one subject may seem challenging, especially if they are treated separately. Teachers need to make clear the skills and capabilities that they are teaching. They should support pupils to appreciate how these skills and capabilities are linked to developing knowledge and understanding. Table 1 shows how these different components of learning are related and how teachers can support pupils to develop them. 16

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Table 1 Components of learning: knowledge, understanding, skills and capabilities Subject knowledge and understanding Teachers help pupils to develop their knowledge and understanding by building on their previous learning. They introduce pupils to new ideas and concepts of increasing complexity. They increase the breadth of pupils knowledge by extending what pupils already know and encouraging them to apply their learning in unfamiliar contexts. Pupils development of knowledge and understanding depends on their cognitive and metacognitive abilities and thinking skills. Thinking Skills Teachers convey information to develop pupils knowledge and understanding. They also help pupils to enquire and discover things for themselves. This teaches pupils to research/investigate and manage information from various sources, not just textbooks. Teachers help pupils to think about and use this information (some of which may be mathematical data) to solve problems and make decisions (sometimes creatively). This develops pupils thinking skills. Cross-Curricular Skills Personal Capabilities Teachers help pupils to communicate their learning: orally, by answering questions, discussing ideas or making presentations in class; in written form, using short sentences, paragraphs or extended pieces; visually, in graphs, tables, charts etc. and by interpreting data (Using Mathematics); and by Using ICT to research and manage the information and present it in various formats. Teachers may encourage pupils to: work with others to develop their capability to collaborate; and manage and structure their own learning. Developing personal capabilities supports pupils to become independent learners. The curriculum requires teachers to develop and assess knowledge and understanding as well as skills and capabilities. To do this, teachers must plan carefully. 17

Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom A step-by-step guide to planning for the development and assessment of knowledge, skills and capabilities Table 2 and Table 3 illustrate how teachers can make the various components of learning more evident. Table 2 Planning approach Step 1: Identify a topic and enquiry question Teachers should identify an enquiry question as a focus for the work. This engages their pupils with the enquiry from the start. They should discuss the topic with their pupils and let them suggest enquiry questions. This gives pupils the opportunity to be more involved, interested and motivated. Alternatively, teachers could give their pupils some key questions to explore as part of learning about the topic. Teachers should link these questions to the minimum subject requirements and key elements. Step 2: Identify essential knowledge, understanding and key concepts Step 3: Identify the thinking questions Teachers often identify too much knowledge and understanding. They may neglect to emphasise the core subject ideas that pupils must engage with frequently to fully understand the subject and how to progress in it. This step focuses on thinking. Teachers should approach the topic from an enquiry perspective. They should identify questions that will help their pupils to understand the topic. They should decide in which order to ask the questions. Step 4: Identify what you intend to assess As their pupils become more used to this approach, teachers should ask them to generate and sequence the questions. Before they begin teaching, teachers should identify what they want to assess. They should clarify the knowledge, understanding, skills and capabilities their pupils must develop to complete the assessment successfully. Alternatively, teachers can let their pupils discuss and suggest how they would like to be assessed and what they would like to create to demonstrate their learning. This involves them more in the process, and the product, motivating them to engage in and complete it. Step 5: Identify the Cross-Curricular Skill The nature of the assessment task and outcome will help clarify which aspect of the Cross-Curricular Skills pupils are contributing to: oral, written, visual, graphic, ICT, etc. 18

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Teachers could begin by creating an overall plan. They can write their plan on one page so they can see it as a whole. They could arrange the plan in columns (Table 3). This will give an overarching feel for the topic, allowing them to share it with colleagues or pupils. Here is an example: Table 3 Planning template Step 1 Enquiry question (linked to key element) Step 2 Knowledge and understanding Step 3 Thinking questions Step 4 Assessment Task (Step 5 Cross-Curricular Skill) Planning for progression Most subject teachers have little difficulty planning for progression in knowledge and understanding. Teaching more subject content is an obvious way to progress pupils knowledge and understanding. Progression in learning, however, does not necessarily mean teaching more. It is about moving pupils from shallow, surface learning to deep learning. Teachers should support pupils to become independent learners with the motivation to learn and develop a deeper understanding. Teachers must motivate pupils to learn more, and at a deeper level, not just to improve performance but for the enjoyment of learning and understanding (Figure 3). Figure 3 Moving from shallow to deep learning Shallow surface learning (extrinsic motivation) Learning as memorising to retain information for a short period of time to be reproduced and then potentially forgotten Learning to retain and use information but not necessarily being motivated by the learning Learning as acquiring knowledge, skills and methods learning how to learn Learning as making sense and abstracting meaning (which requires thinking and often struggle and effort) to relate parts of the subject matter to other ideas/concepts within the subject and to the real world Learning as interpretation coming to comprehend and understand the issue in a different way creating deep meaning by struggling to re-interpret the knowledge Deep Learning (intrinsic motivation) From Säljö, in Atherton, J S, (2011) 19

Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom We often don t emphasise the fact that learning should be a challenge. Learning should stretch pupils thinking and understanding. It should take them to the boundaries of their capability and beyond. Pupils should recognise that learning is often difficult. To achieve success, pupils must overcome difficulties through persistence and resilience. They should appreciate the importance of learning from their mistakes. They need to understand that finding learning difficult does not mean that they are unintelligent or incapable of understanding. It is an essential part of the learning process. Table 4 illustrates how pupils can make progress in their learning. Using this process repeatedly across subjects builds on pupils previous experience. This enables them to make progress in their knowledge, skills and capabilities. Table 4 Progression in learning Pupils should: Focus Manage the information Think Problem solve, decide, create Communicate Manage their own learning focus on the specific task; ask a range of questions; access, select and judge what information/material is important and what is not; consider different perspectives (and think creatively in new, original or non-standard ways, if required); be critical of the material and not accept things at face value; test ideas and potential approaches or solutions and persist until they find solutions; construct an appropriate response/argument as necessary and draw relevant conclusions; structure their response to express what they have learned; and review and improve their learning. This is an iterative process of progression. Teachers should give pupils tasks in increasingly difficult contexts with a progressively challenging range of information and concepts. Progression in learning is about pupils: knowing and understanding more in quantity, breadth and depth; thinking more researching, questioning, breaking ideas apart and piecing information together; communicating better structuring responses in clearer and better ways; and becoming more capable managing their own learning and working with others. To make real progress, pupils need: clear development in all aspects of learning; the interest and motivation to learn; the confidence to try, struggle and even fail; and the ability to learn from experience. Figure 4 illustrates the relationship between these essential components of teaching, learning and assessment. 20

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Figure 4 The relationship between teaching, learning and assessment Subject knowledge and understanding (aligned to the aim, objectives and key elements of the Curriculum Framework) Assessment for Learning (questioning, peer and self-assessment, feedback and making improvements) Active Enquiry and Thinking Developing Thinking Skills, Cross-Curricular Skills and Personal Capabilities Communication Structuring and expressing outcomes through Communication, Using Mathematics and Using ICT 21

Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom Figure 5 illustrates how subject knowledge and understanding are inseparable from Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities and the Cross-Curricular Skills and their assessment. Figure 5 Key Stage 3: Skills and Capabilities Communication Critical and Creative Thinking Managing Information Self Management Being Creative Learning Areas The Learner Subject Strands Making Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Personal and Interpersonal Working with Others Using ICT Using Mathematics 22

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Developing effective assessment tasks Teachers can create effective assessment tasks to help them to develop a more integrated approach to assessment at Key Stage 3. They should design these tasks to enable pupils to demonstrate specific aspects of the knowledge, understanding and skills/capabilities they have gained during their learning experience. They will also need to develop tasks for assessing the Cross-Curricular Skills. What makes an effective assessment task? An effective assessment task should: be valid it should assess what is intended from the subject scheme of work; allow pupils to demonstrate what they know, understand, and can do; allow pupils to demonstrate their thinking; allow pupils to communicate their understanding; include clear and meaningful instructions; be designed to match pupils capabilities, but also motivate, challenge and allow for differentiation in outcome; and have clear assessment criteria that teachers have either constructed, in discussion with their pupils, or shared with their pupils in advance so pupils know what they expect from them and what success looks like. Structuring tasks around assessment criteria Teachers must set appropriate and valid tasks that allow for differentiation and creative outcomes. These should have clear and explicit assessment criteria that they should share with their pupils before the assessment. Assessment criteria should define what each pupil: is being measured against; and should be able to demonstrate as a result of their learning experience. See also the following online case studies: Planning and Developing an Integrated Approach to Assessment (St Louise s Comprehensive College) Developing Assessment to Measure Progress and Improve Learning (Dromore High School) Assessing Using Mathematics and Geography Knowledge and Understanding (St Cecilia s College) Developing and Using Assessment Tasks in Local and Global Citizenship (Omagh High School) Using Teacher Observation to Assess TSPC, Knowledge and Understanding (Coláiste Feirste). Teachers should set assessment criteria to: give their pupils clear information about what is expected, the focus of the assessment and what success will look like; provide feedback on what their pupils have done well, what they may have missed out and how to improve their learning; and enable them to make fair, sound and consistent judgements about pupil performance on the basis of assessment evidence. Assessment criteria introduce objectivity, consistency and transparency to the assessment process. They help to: reduce potential teacher bias; make assessment fair and more reliable; and improve pupil learning. 23

Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom Developing assessment criteria Teachers may find the following five steps helpful when creating assessment criteria. They should set out the criteria and expectations in a similar way to the overall plan for the topic. This allows the assessment criteria to flow from the original planning and helps to show that the task is valid. Step 1: Step 2: Step 3: Step 4: Step 5: Decide on an appropriate assessment task. Negotiate this with pupils at the start of the topic. This allows them to work towards the assessment gradually and develop the necessary skills to complete it successfully. Ask the class to help identify the relevant knowledge and understanding that pupils are expected to draw on and interpret. Ask the class to help identify the thinking processes or steps they will need to take to complete the task and how they could structure their response. With the class, discuss the features of Communication (including Using Mathematics or Using ICT, as appropriate) that pupils should demonstrate and which to focus on. Identify specific success criteria and weighting. With the class, discuss which elements of their response are most important and where they should focus their efforts. Discuss the characteristics of an excellent, a good, and an under-developed response with pupils. If possible, give them examples. Table 5 illustrates the steps involved in developing assessment/success criteria. Teachers can use it as a template. Table 5 Developing assessment/success criteria Step 1: Select the assessment task Step 2 Step 3 What range of knowledge and understanding should your pupils draw on? Should they mention specific elements? What is the thinking focus? Is there a thinking process that pupils should follow? Would it be helpful to provide a structure or scaffold for pupils to follow (through sub-questions or a diagram)? Step 5: Weighting and specific success criteria An excellent response will display: (Statements about the knowledge and understanding that the pupil is expected to demonstrate.) A good response will display: (Statements about the knowledge and understanding that the pupil is expected to demonstrate.) (Statements about the thinking that the pupil is expected to demonstrate.) (Statements about the thinking that the pupil is expected to demonstrate.) An under-developed response will display: (Statements about the knowledge and understanding that the pupil is expected to demonstrate.) (Statements about the thinking that the pupil is expected to demonstrate.) Step 4: Communication What will successful communication look like? Are specific aspects of a particular Cross-Curricular Skill being assessed? (Statements about the communication skills that the pupil is expected to demonstrate.) (Statements about the communication skills that the pupil is expected to demonstrate.) (Statements about the communication skills that the pupil is expected to demonstrate.) 24

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Teachers should work in collaboration with their pupils to help set shared expectations of assessment criteria. Pupils can then use these assessment criteria to self-assess their learning and/or to peer assess others learning. This will help them to identify the characteristics of quality responses. Teachers can use the assessment criteria to provide detailed structured feedback. They should record what their pupils must do to improve. Teachers should also discuss the feedback with their pupils, so that they understand what they must do to improve. An integrated progression framework for assessing subject knowledge, understanding, skills and personal capabilities Table 6 is a framework that helps teachers to decide on appropriate tasks and assessment criteria to use to assess subject knowledge and understanding alongside skills. Teachers can also use this framework to include personal capabilities. The tasks in Table 6 increase in complexity. A Type A task is highly structured, set in a familiar context and has a limited number of steps. A Type E task is abstract, set in an unfamiliar context, and open-ended. The table shows that, in increasingly complex tasks, pupils must demonstrate greater command of Thinking Skills and more independent learning. Progression in: subject knowledge and understanding Row 2 of Table 6 illustrates progression in the breadth and depth of subject learning and the knowledge and understanding required for each type of task. Thinking Skills Rows 3 and 4 of the table chart progression in: Managing Information; and Thinking, Problem Solving and Decision Making. Communication Skills All tasks will involve pupils using aspects of their Communication Skills such as: contributing to discussion; asking and responding to questions; presenting their findings; finding and selecting information; and communicating their ideas/findings in writing. The tasks may give teachers opportunities to assess some of these skills. They could, for example, plan a task to include assessing aspects of a pupil s writing skills. Row 5, in Table 6, illustrates how a pupil could demonstrate progression in writing. The assessment criteria for writing are taken from Communication Levels of Progression. Teachers could plan to assess aspects of Using Mathematics or Using ICT as well as subject knowledge and understanding and Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities. 25

Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom Table 6 Integrated Progression Framework Increasingly complex task 1 Nature of task Task Type A Task Type B Task Type C How is the task structured? What is the context/ situation? highly structured; familiar and accessible contexts/ situations; and a limited number of steps. less structured; familiar and accessible contexts/ situations; and more steps. some structure to support more open-ended responses; familiar and unfamiliar contexts/ situations; and an increasing number of steps. Increasingly independent learning 2 Knowledge and understanding Across a range of tasks, pupils demonstrate the ability to: How might pupils demonstrate breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding? recall, state, identify, recognise and describe mainly basic factual subject knowledge. interpret and explain essential subject knowledge with some detail; recognise implicit points that may be unconnected; and show some knowledge and understanding of a limited range of subject concepts/ themes and issues. analyse and examine key aspects of subject knowledge for meaning and relationships; recognise and make connections between a range of subject concepts/themes and issues; apply subject knowledge and understanding in novel contexts; and show a greater understanding of a broader range of subject concepts/ themes and issues. Increasingly broader and deeper understanding Task Type D increasingly open-ended; unfamiliar contexts/ situations; and multi-dimensional tasks. evaluate key aspects of subject knowledge/ concepts/themes and issues to inform their understanding; make connections between concepts/ themes and issues; formulate well-reasoned explanations to justify interpretations and conclusions; and show a thorough understanding of a broad range of subject themes/ concepts and issues. Task Type E increasingly abstract and open-ended; unfamiliar contexts/ situations; unfamiliar demands; and multi-dimensional. synthesise information; propose connections between unrelated/ abstract concepts; generate new ideas to create an original interpretation; propose and explain relationships; transfer their subject learning beyond the given; and show sound knowledge and understanding of a broad range of subject themes/ concepts and complex issues. 26

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Progression in Thinking Skills 3 Managing Information Across a range of tasks pupils demonstrate the ability to: How might pupils demonstrate progression in their skills to manage information? Task Type A Task Type B Task Type C Task Type D Task Type E ask basic questions; identify key words from information; and consider options when planning. ask relevant questions; and consider and choose appropriate options when planning. Questioning and Planning identify a range of appropriate, focused questions to ask and explore; and establish an appropriate sequence for investigations or to complete tasks. identify, ask and explore probing questions; and establish an appropriate sequence for an investigation or to complete tasks. ask and work through critical questions; and produce their own plan for an investigation or to complete tasks. Accessing and Selecting and Evaluating Sources select useful sources, materials and equipment. select appropriate tools; use more than one source of information; select relevant information; and consider the usefulness of the information. use a range of information and sources; adapt and acknowledge sources; compare and contrast information; and evaluate the usefulness and reliability of the information. use complex information from a range of sources; give some reasons for their choice; adapt and acknowledge sources effectively; evaluate sources of information; and identify weaknesses or gaps in the information. identify limitations in information; discriminate between sources; identify sound, robust evidence; combine information from different sources; and authenticate and justify choice and quote sources accurately. Recording and Adapting Information record information in a relevant format for their own use. adapt and record information in different formats for their own and others use. record and present information in a range of formats to suit audience and purpose. record and present information in a logical sequence to convey meaning to suit audience and purpose. process recorded information so as to communicate meaning, following accepted conventions. 27

Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom Progression in Thinking Skills 4 Problem Solving and Decision Making Across a range of tasks pupils demonstrate the ability to: How might pupils demonstrate progression in their problem-solving and decision-making skills? Task Type A Task Type B Task Type C Task Type D Task Type E identify and describe obvious patterns and relationships, for example characteristics, comparisons, connections, pros/ cons, ideas and solutions. identify and explain obvious patterns and relationships; compare and contrast information; and explain their findings. Seeing Relationships and Patterns use trends and patterns to make generalisations and predictions to explain how different parts of a process/cycle/event are linked; explain, compare and contrast in greater detail; and weigh up pros and cons. explain trends, patterns and relationships; make specific predictions based on general trends, patterns and relationships; and understand how parts of a system or process are related to the whole. explain complex inter-relationships between different factors/variables and associated patterns; and assess the relative significance of these factors/ variables. Developing a Line of Reasoning provide simple reasons for their actions or choices; support their answer with simple reference to text; and provide a reasonable hypothesis as a starting point for an investigation. provide some reasons to justify their ideas/opinions/ arguments; and support their views with specific reference to text. give reasons why something is happening; link cause and effect; use specific evidence to support an argument; draw appropriate conclusions; and support and justify their perspective/ argument with reference to evidence. explain causal relationships; explain and predict the consequences/ impact of change; and explain, support and justify their thinking/ position/conclusion with a sound, well-reasoned rationale. explain how one set of actions can affect/are affected by another; challenge assumptions; make judgements about the most likely explanations; and draw conclusions based on sound and robust evidence. 28

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Progression in Thinking Skills 4 Problem Solving and Decision Making Across a range of tasks pupils demonstrate the ability to: How might pupils demonstrate progression in their problem-solving and decision-making skills? Task Type A Task Type B Task Type C Task Type D Task Type E pose questions about the reliability and usefulness of the evidence; and recognise another view about an issue and give reasons for holding that view. Examining Evidence and Analysing Multiple Perspectives consider the usefulness and reliability of information; recognise that information can be interpreted in different ways; recognise alternative perspectives on issues and how this can lead to bias in information and evidence; and identify fact from opinion. recognise a range of different interpretations; identify stereotyping and propaganda; appreciate difference of views held; and develop an opinion. understand key reasons why information is presented and interpreted in different ways; understand how and why information may be manipulated to serve certain agendas; and form opinions, giving due consideration to evidence. weigh up strengths and weaknesses of information, evidence and arguments; assess the relative merits of different viewpoints; suggest ways that conflicts of interest might be resolved; and expand on opinions. Making Decisions and Problem Solving clarify a problem, identify some solutions and give some pros and cons for each. explore alternative solutions to an issue or problem and explain the main pros and cons for each. explore a range of viable options and alternatives; and weigh up the main pros and cons for each. identify key options/ alternatives to explore; and examine alternatives/ options and make decisions about the preferred option(s)/ alternative(s). explore and evaluate a range of options/ alternatives; and draw conclusions about preferred option/alternative based on justified and well-informed decisions. 29

Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom Progression in Communication Skills 5 Writing Across a range of tasks pupils demonstrate the ability to: How might pupils demonstrate progression in writing? Task Type A Task Type B Task Type C Task Type D Task Type E talk about and plan their writing; make improvements to their writing; express thoughts, feelings, ideas and opinions; structure and sequence their writing; provide supporting detail using an expanding vocabulary; use the form appropriately; start sentences in different ways; use basic punctuation and grammar accurately; spell and write frequently used and topic words correctly; and produce handwriting that is accurately formed and consistent in size. plan and make use of planning; check writing to make improvements in accuracy and meaning; express thoughts, feelings, ideas and opinions, giving reasons when appropriate; structure writing, including using paragraphs; express meaning clearly, using an appropriate vocabulary and level of detail; choose from and use a range of forms, as appropriate; vary word order and use linking words in sentences; use a range of punctuation accurately; and use accurate grammar and spelling on most occasions. redraft to improve accuracy and meaning; use precise vocabulary to convey thoughts, ideas, relevant information and to justify opinions; structure writing logically and coherently; match writing to purpose and audience; present information effectively, using a formal style where appropriate; create sentence structures that help to convey meaning; use a range of punctuation consistently and accurately; and use accurate grammar and spelling. redraft writing for effect; communicate ideas, information and opinions in a sustained and developed way; make use of information and evidence to support ideas and opinions; organise and present writing for deliberate effect; use appropriate style and tone; create sentence structures that convey meaning clearly; and use punctuation for effect. make discriminating choices about language in order to create impact; communicate complex ideas and opinions in a sustained and developed way; make effective use of information and evidence to support their ideas, analyses and conclusions; match style, tone and presentation to create an impact; create complex sentences for impact; and use punctuation for effect. 30

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Teachers can use this framework to help develop an integrated approach to assessment. Teachers can design tasks to assess subjects in an integrated and holistic way, by using this framework as well as: subject Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities Progression Frameworks (CCEA, 2009b); the Think Pack; and the Cross-Curricular Skills of Communication, Using Mathematics and Using ICT with reference to the Levels of Progression. Sharing this type of assessment criteria with others will ensure a common approach to assessment throughout the school. This allows teachers to judge the comparability of challenge and the quality of pupil work across departments. Making judgements about pupil performance Schools and teachers can use assessment outcomes to make judgements about pupils performance in subjects in the three ways outlined below. Norm-referencing This is a competitive way of marking and ordering outcomes to compare pupils performance against that of their peers. It involves ranking pupils by fitting their outcomes to a pre-determined distribution for awarding grades (for example, the top 20 percent receive A s, the next 10 percent B s and so on). Its main purpose is to classify pupils, for example to identify high and low achievers or to place pupils in ability groupings. Teachers should be aware that the quality associated with each percentage/grade could vary from class to class, subject to subject and school to school. Criterion-referencing Criterion-referencing assesses pupils against fixed criteria to determine how well they have mastered particular knowledge, understanding and skills. Assessment against fixed criteria can be inherently fairer, as long as the criteria are valid, reliable and determined in advance. However, in practice, teachers may sometimes award results on the basis of a notional percentage of learners achieving certain grades or levels, leading to subjective norm-referencing. Ipsative assessment This involves assessing a pupil against their personal best performance. This may be more relevant to performance coaching and special needs education. Using assessment information to improve learning One of the key purposes of assessment is to improve learning. To help pupils to do this, teachers need to give pupils regular and helpful written and oral feedback. Research shows that pupils tend to only look at the grade and ignore the comments (Atherton, 2011). Black and Wiliam (1998) refer to this as the ego factor. Pupils who have done well congratulate themselves, but do not learn from the feedback. Pupils who have done less well are deflated and may switch off. 31

Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom Research shows that giving pupils constructive feedback without marks or grades is more likely to lead to improvement in their learning. This message is a challenge for teachers and schools that rely on numerical or grade-related marking and for pupils and parents who like to know their position in a hierarchy. However once pupils accept the idea of comment and feedback, and parents know the benefits of this approach, it is usually accepted. Teachers should give pupils specific feedback on how to improve their learning. It should highlight how much effort pupils have put into their work, as this is an important factor in making improvement. Teachers can also give relative summative feedback when using comment only marking and feedback. Schools with informed target setting should give pupils challenging, but achievable, targets for self-improvement against their own best performance. Teachers should tell parents whether their child has underachieved, reached, or surpassed expectations. They should also tell parents where their child s achievements are in relation to the rest of the class/year. By involving pupils in deconstructing and critiquing samples of work, teachers can show them the standards they should aim for. This challenges pupils to keep improving their own performance against the criteria teachers have shared with them. Quality feedback to pupils Research shows that giving pupils frequent quality feedback with opportunities to review and discuss their work, can help them to improve their learning (Black et al., 2003; Black et al., 2010; Black et al., 2011; Harlen, 2005). Quality feedback is a key AfL strategy (CCEA, 2009a). Teachers should use it in classroom practice and alongside other AfL approaches such as scaffolding reflection and effective questioning. Quality feedback is about giving pupils frequent, focused, meaningful information about their work and how to improve it. This feedback may be oral or written, but it must be constructive and support pupils to close the gap in their learning (Sadler, 1989). See also the following online case study: Using Effective Questioning in Spanish (St Patrick s College, Maghera). Feedback should help pupils to: understand what stage they are at in their learning; know what they should aim for; and identify the next steps to take to improve their learning. Quality feedback involves giving pupils time to review, reflect and discuss their learning. Teachers should support pupils to set their own targets for improvement. This is part of the process of scaffolding reflection (CCEA, 2009a). Teachers can also use effective questioning techniques (ibid.) when discussing pupil learning. This could include asking pupils focused questions to prompt them to think about their learning and their thinking processes (Table 7). 32

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Pupils from St Patrick s College giving oral presentations in Spanish to their class 33

Section 3: Developing Quality Assessment Practice in the Classroom Table 7 Examples of prompt questions Purpose of Question To clarify pupils thinking/reasoning To evaluate pupils learning experience To identify pupils new learning To encourage pupils to think about the next steps Examples What do you mean when you say? Can you give me some examples of what you mean? What was your thinking behind your idea/approach? What were your reasons for your approach? Why do you think that? How did you reach that conclusion? What parts of the activity did you do well? Why do you think you did well? What parts of the activity did you find difficult? Why did you find this difficult? What approach did you use? What other approaches did you consider? What have you learned from this activity that is new? How will this learning be helpful next time? What will you do to help to improve your skills/ capabilities? What will you do to help to improve your understanding about...? What would happen if you did things differently? Quality feedback should: be specific to the pupil; focus on learning; be linked to success/assessment criteria; be accurate and make sense to pupils; give pupils clear guidance on how to improve their learning; and enable pupils to act to improve their learning. Most feedback is verbal and informal. Teachers can also give pupils written feedback when marking their work. This involves annotating pupil work and writing meaningful comments. They might find the following five steps helpful when giving pupils structured feedback: highlight success by identifying some areas where the pupil has succeeded; identify areas for improvement; suggest ways to make improvements by providing constructive comments and examples of how they could do this; give the pupil time to review their work and make improvements; and review and discuss the changes with the pupil. 34

Engaging Pupils in Assessing their Own Learning 35

Section 4: Engaging Pupils in Assessing their Own Learning Peer and self-assessment, along with other assessment methods, should be an integral part of a whole-school approach to developing quality assessment practice in the classroom (Chappuis and Stiggins, 2008). Teachers need to foster a supportive classroom culture that encourages pupils to engage in a range of peer and self-assessment strategies. This will help pupils to identify gaps in their learning, set targets, and identify the next steps to improve learning. Peer and self-assessment Peer assessment involves pupils assessing each other s work and giving constructive feedback. Self-assessment involves pupils making judgements about their own learning and achievement and deciding how to progress in their learning. See also the following online case studies: Peer and Self-Assessment in Physical Education (Ashfield Girls High School) Using e-portfolios in Technology and Design for Peer and Self-Assessment (Sullivan Upper School). Peer and self-assessment focuses on engaging pupils in reviewing and discussing the quality of their work and reflecting on how to improve it. Actively involving pupils in assessing their own learning through peer and self-assessment can: improve learning; reduce achievement gaps for low achievers and underachievers; and support pupils to become independent learners (Sebba et al., 2008). Peer and self-assessment supports and reflects a constructivist view of learning. This view suggests that pupils learn by constructing their own meaning, based on their experiences and social interactions with others (Vygotsky, 1978). Engaging pupils in assessing their own learning gives them a better understanding of how and what they are learning. It allows them to identify and close gaps in their learning. Peer and self-assessment support pupils to develop their critical thinking skills and metacognitive (thinking about the thinking) abilities. This helps them to plan, monitor, redirect and evaluate how they think and promotes deep learning (Seeba et al., 2008). Pupils from Ashfield Girls High School participating in a peer assessment activity 36

Guidance on Subject Assessment at Key Stage 3 Pupils from Sullivan Upper School using their e-portfolio for peer assessment Developing peer and self-assessment practices and strategies in the classroom Teachers should plan peer and self-assessment opportunities to complement teaching and learning and other assessment methods. They should foster a supportive classroom culture, by encouraging their pupils to: take part in classroom dialogue about thinking and learning; respect and take into account pupils individual differences, for example background, interests, abilities and experiences, and how these can affect learning; highlight what they do not understand and view their mistakes as learning opportunities; be resilient and persistent to overcome challenges to their learning; take part in group work to build relationships based on co-operation, respect and trust; and respect each other s views and accept, respond and act on constructive criticism. Teachers need to engage pupils in a range of peer and self-assessment strategies. This helps them to become familiar with the processes involved and to build their skills and capacity for assessing their own and their peers work. Peer and self-assessment succeeds when pupils clearly understand their purpose and processes and have the motivation and commitment to take steps to improve their learning (Black and Wiliam, 1998). Pupils must be able to: determine what stage they are at in their learning; identify gaps in their learning; set targets for improvement; and know what they need to do to close gaps in their learning. 37